OCR01061 - Final Fantasy VIII 'Rain in Chicago'

[djpretzel]

What did you think? Post your opinion of this ReMix.

[GrayLightning]

Great work as always! Two thumbs up. :)

[Doulifée]

Good job from ziwtra. Part of the song remenbers me another song from FF9.....

[stratos]

Nice work! I had no idea what to expect because I really have never played this game, but the rhythm absorbed me right from the beginning. Tasteful use of melody and patches, although I thought the horn patch that began around 1:30 was a bit out of place. The only other thing that I seemed to crave as the song went on was a patch with some more sustain, although that is an artistic decision that is totally up to the remixer. Again, I really liked this mix. Keep it up.

[Buster]

I deffinately like this piece. Right from the begining when the excellent drum and bass begins, this piece just grabs you. You folks might think I'm nuts for saying this, but the drums make me think of Industrial. Sort of like Industrial on a leash, where it's been rained in so that it's more subdued and melodic, but still dark and machine-like.

I disagree with strato's suggestion that the horn in out of place. As Ziwtra was trying for Jazz, I think the horn was just the thing to bring the mix around to that genre. Before that, I have to agree with DJ's comments that it's more like electronica. A little jazzy brass added enough flavor that while I still wouldn't call the piece Jazz altogether, it's deffinately got touches of it.

Overall, a really great piece. I'll be listening to this one for awhile.

~Buster

[sgx]

I already told ya, but this mix is really really tight. GREAT drum programming (I said that in my last Ziwtra review, didn't I? :)). Awesome style. Fresh, and interesting! Great job!

[ella guro]

This fucking rocks. AWESOME, awesome percussion. Nice use of jazzy instruments to juxtapose the crazy beats going on, and cool use of reverb. Towards the end I have a few gripes with the lower-register strings and the fade out, but overall this mix just floors me. Spectactular work by ziwtra - without a question my favorite of his mixes.

[Dj Orange]

I don't know why, but for some reason I like the WIP version better (I have both, heheh). Some parts of the song seem less full. The bassline has changed too. For one, it's louder, which is fine, but it also sounds like it's coming from just the left and right, and not from the center. Are my ears playing tricks on me?

That part with the vibes and the flute is a bit unbalanced, panning-wise. I would have put the vibes to the left and the flute to the right, or the vibes to the right and the flute to the left, but not the flute and the vibes to the right. But that's just me.

Still, brilliant drums and such. Almost incomprehensibly detailed. I love it, and Ziwtra, don't let College slow you down. Make time to remix and do what you want.

[The Orichalcon]

I remember this! I love this so much! It's so good.

This version is perfect, very well done.

And to make things better, I remember this being in the WIP stage only a month or three back, gives us all hope at the speed of submissions.

I love it, that's all I can say.

[Pyrion]

On first listen the initial thought in my mind was "wow, this sounds like SimCity 3000 music" -- it's the same form of jazz/electronica that I spend so much time listening to.

*opens up Nero, and makes more room on a CD compilation for this mix*

Outstanding. I've never played the original, but I'm loving this.

[UltimaAvatar]

Wow this is really good! keep up the good work

[SmockJoc]

Just wanted to say that all that drum work is excellent and it really brings out the melody. Great name choice too!

[Tranced]

I think I see why many like this over the original. The original had such a cool melody, but I felt Uematsu didn't do much with it in terms of sound quality.

So that why I enjoy this one so damn much :) Ziwtra doesn't dissapoint and I'm truly impressed with the style here with the complex drum programming and calming beat.

[Jared Hudson]

Very unique take on this song. The drum programming and sequencing is excellent, and the elements you incorporated into the composition are very creative. I wouldn't call this jazz at all, but more of a shuffle. That muted trumpet was god awful though. I don't know what djpretzel was thinking. It sounded nothing like the real deal, just more like a whining cat. The trumpet could've been omitted. Anyways, this mix has many strong areas, and deserved to be posted on OCR. Nice tune.

Jared

[No_Style]

This remix is great on speakers, but on headphones it's focused too much on the left ear. Is it just me?

Yes, this is my first post :D

[Veovis]

Been listening to this for a while now since I got it of WIP. Love it. Wouldn't change a thing. I'm not sure if it's just me, but it has a "Parasite Eve" aspect to the song. Anyone else?

Anyways, love it. Great theme and great game.

[Villainelle]

Amazing reinterpretation of the original. There's not a single mix by Ziwtra that I don't like, and this is no exception, even though it's such a departure from his usual style.

I have just one question...why "Rain in Chicago?" :)

[Frictional Antidote]

Finally!!!!

I was hoping someone was going to do a remix of this song. FF 8 is the only Final Fantasy in the series that I've ever played and this map music was something that I definitively remember from the game. I love the mix, though the trumpet does sound a bit off, but it is balanced well with everything else so it works. I love it.

[Urza]

First of all, not only have you made my day with this remix.

But secondly it will make my day when ever i play it, some seriously good effects and sound generator's, with a decent drum beat in the back, maybe the bass guitar/line could be a little more jumpy and jazz like, but nothings perfect. In that sentance i would say this is pretty damn close to perfect though...

i wish someone would remix "movin'" on FF8 aswell because that plainly rules.... VIVA LA FF8 REMIXS the best FF in the saga

i give this masterpiece 9/10 [/code]

[Leusugi]

Such a great remix, I like this better than the original song it came from. I have listened to it many many times and still enjoy it as much as ever, great work.

[Mini Mog]

Definitely an interesting arrangement! I love the original and this take on it is very well-executed and enjoyable. Aside from the catchy percussion, the piano helps give this tune a nice airy and carefree feel to it. :)

[Heyo Axel]

This might be my favorite OC remix ever. Gotta love it. And living in the suburbs of Chicago and commuting often, I have to say it actually fits it's name, for me anyway.

[Alianger]

what makes this great is how he's made a so-so track into an easily likable & really groovy one. that's what remixing should be all about imo! And you can't even tell it's ff.

[Navi]

This track is an underrated classic on OC Remix. Ziwtra gives one of my favorite tracks from the incredible FFVIII soundtrack some jazzish-electronic loving and it is good.

[The Orichalcon]

This track is an underrated classic on OC Remix. Ziwtra gives one of my favorite tracks from the incredible FFVIII soundtrack some jazzish-electronic loving and it is good.

That's true. This track is actually miles better than the original too. The overworld music for FFVIII was sub-interesting. It did the job, but it was boring, unlike the music for 7 and 9's overworld. This would have been a better replacement. It's not too often I think that for remixes from the playstation final fantasy games.

[Tepid]

This is probably the best FFVIII mix I've yet heard, the delayed piano and drums fit in almost too well in the song.

Awesome stuff.

[Bummerdude]

I´m siiiiiinging in the rain...

Really nice stuff here. Although this is Ziwtra´s first try at getting a groovy mix, I´m not complaining. Very nice usage of the instruments, I liked that echoing piano that just skipped over that piano. At some points, it sounded just like "The place I´ll return to" from FF9, but then it got back to Blue fields once again. Calm, chill, excellent remix from our hardworking Ziwtra. Good luck with your studies.

[Sage of Creation]

Really liked this!

Just had that walking-in-the-rain-don't-give-a-rat's-ass -about-anything-else feeling to it. Will definitely keep you absorbed.

[maestermatt]

This remix sorta reminds me of the frozen tundra section of secret of mana.

[Master_Yoshi]

Wow, what an awesome remix this is. Perfectly captures the feeling of not really caring about anything else except what is here and now. Kinda gives me that feeling that the world could be burning but everything will be ok.

[KogeJoe]

I didn't think much was possible with the track I hate most in the game.

Good work in raising my interest.

[LongeBane]

I thought much was possible with the track I liked most in the game.

Good work in raising my interest.

[metaphist]

I thought the possibility of thinking the impossible was quite possi...wait...what?

Good work in general.

[cremdogz]

I very much enjoyed this remix. I never realised how much hate the original got, I loved it so much, but just not as much as Terra from FFVI. Either way, I never compare any song I hear on this website to the original, I tend to think of it as just a different version, completely different to the original, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Thank you.

[OA]

Great percussion and attention to detail, as well as the bass. I don't think the original melody was super compelling; it's good background music, but not something amazingly melodic, but the mix emphasizes the rhythmic qualities of the source and adds a lot of cool expansion rhythms.

It's still not really active listening to me, but it took a decent BG track and made it into a great one, and i'm totally fine with that. :-)

[avaris]

Love this track! Completely captures the feel the title and the source. With the drum work I think the track can work as both BGM and active listening depending on your mood and tastes. Always hope to hear more from ziwtra. :)

[[Lyrics] Serotriptomine]

To tell you the truth, right when it starts to pick up at 00:20 I can see this being in a "sim city" type game where you build and manage your city. Weird I know, I agree this is nice background music. Then at 00:47 or so you recognize fully where this song originated from.

It takes you back to "those days" and keeps you there until it's over.

10.00/10.00

[Subz1987]

Love this song. I can imagine myself staring out at the Chicago skyline during a rainy day while listening to this song.

[tweek]

Ah, do I remember this from the game. It definitely takes me back! Ziwtra does waste anytime disclosing the source material in this mix. This has a wonderful jazz fusion to it that we haven't really heard from Youngjin so far, and I gotta say, he's nailing it. Not a fan of the sax sample, but the idea what a good one. The drums are what really do it for me here. The pattern and programming are really well done and create a dynamic in the track all its own. The bass line is also wonderful as is really anchors the track, much like his past mixes. Hahn really excels at placing different levels of intensity from different instruments in the same section together. The result is always one that feels well balanced and natural. Another great piece from Ziwtra!

[evktalo]

This is a joyful and pleasant track. I like the very beginning immediately - the synth playing the simple repeating figure sounds just great, and the percussive chirp in the other channel mimicking the rhythm is a terrific detail. The playful, jumpy drums and the solid but varied bass compliment each other very well. The sax/trumpet sample is the weak link, but forgivable - the melody itself, and rest of the lead instruments, sound good.

Above all, this mix has character - I think the amibent/chill feel is uniquely contrasted by the lively, kind of angular drums and bass. I was playing a random selection of ReMixes, and when this came up, I didn't know which piece it was but I did recognize it, especially it's mood. Good stuff!

--Eino